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Sales & client 5 min read

Using the client portal

Give your client their own login-free web page to view quotes, approve selections, track progress, and message you. Here's how to enable it, what clients see, and how to control what stays private.

Before you start
  • A project with a sent quote

The client portal is a separate, password-optional web page for each project that your client can visit without creating a BuiltUp account. They see exactly what you want them to see — the quote, the finish picks they need to make, the schedule — and nothing else. It's the difference between emailing PDFs back and forth and having a single shared workspace your client can come back to any time.

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Step 1

Enable the portal

Open any project and click the Portal tab at the bottom of the left sidebar. You'll see a big toggle: Portal enabled. Flip it on.

As soon as you enable it, BuiltUp generates a unique unguessable URL (something like portal.builtup.io/p/hampton-kitchen-x7k2) and shows it to you. That's the link you'll share with your client — no login required.

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Step 2

Pick what the client can see

Below the main toggle, you've got per-section toggles for what the client sees:

  • Quote — the live quote (always recommended)
  • Budget visibility — show or hide the detailed cost breakdown; off by default for new projects
  • Selections — let the client confirm finish picks directly from the portal
  • Progress — show the schedule and current phase
  • Files — share specific documents (plans, permits, photos)
  • Messages — two-way chat between you and the client

Turn on what makes sense for the job. A simple kitchen might only need Quote + Selections + Progress. A complex fit-out might need all six.

portal.builtup.io/p/hampton-kitchen
DC
Demo Construction
Hampton kitchen renovation
Quote
£19,946
Awaiting response
Timeline
6 weeks
Starts 28 Apr
Selections
3 / 6
Picks confirmed
Next actions
2 pending
Review and accept quoteOpen →
Pick your tile for the splashbackPick →
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Step 3

Protect it with a password (optional)

If the project is sensitive or the client is worried about someone guessing the URL, turn on Require password and set a 4-digit PIN. The client enters the PIN the first time they visit and their browser remembers it for 30 days.

For most residential jobs this is overkill — the unguessable URL is already security enough. For commercial or high-profile jobs, it's worth it.

info
Clients never create accounts
Your client doesn't sign up for BuiltUp, doesn't download anything, and doesn't pay for a seat. They just click the link. This is deliberate — it removes every bit of friction between you and their 'yes'.
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Step 4

Share the link

Copy the portal URL and share it however you already communicate with the client — email, WhatsApp, SMS, whatever. BuiltUp also offers a "Send portal link" button that fires off a pre-written email for you.

Every time the client opens the portal, you get a notification on the project activity feed: *"Hampton & Co. viewed the portal — 3 min ago"*. You'll know when they're reading something.

5
Step 5

Watch for selections and messages

The portal isn't just a viewer — clients can take actions. The most common ones:

  • Accept the quote — one-click accept (or reject with a reason)
  • Confirm finish selections — click through the options you've pre-loaded, pick the one they want
  • Send a message — drops into your project's Messages tab
  • Upload a file — helpful for clients sharing inspiration photos or old paperwork

Every action shows up in your dashboard in real time, so you can stay on top of a job without chasing the client on email.

The portal is your client's single source of truth. Instead of digging through emails, they have one URL that shows them exactly where the job stands. And you have one place that shows you everything they've seen, said, or signed.

Next up

Contracts and finish selections

Two smaller features that quietly save hours: digital contracts for your subcontractors and a structured way to collect finish picks from your client without the endless text-message back-and-forth.

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